South Dakota Trails and Maps

79 Reviews

Looking for the best trails around South Dakota?

Explore the best rated trails in South Dakota, whether you're looking an
easy walking trail or a bike trail like the
Ordway Trail (Aberdeen) and
George S. Mickelson Trail. With more than
14 trails covering 171 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you.
Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.

The Custer State Park Spur offers a 3.2-mile paved connection between South Dakota's 109-mile George S. Mickelson Trail and Custer State Park, home to bison, coyotes, and prairie dogs in the beautiful...

More than a century ago, steam locomotives lugged supplies from Deadwood to Lead and to the miners at Homestake Mine, once the largest goldmine in the Western Hemisphere. This narrow-gauge track fell...

Though Sturgis may be best known for the popular motorcycle events it hosts, the city also offers some great opportunites for the other kind of biker. The Moose Drive Bike Path is a 1.5 mile sidepath...

The Ordway Trail runs for 2 miles in northeastern Aberdeen, a railroad town founded in the early 1880s. It begins in Baird Park, a natural area perhaps best known for its 25-foot-tall sledding hill....

The Sioux Falls trail system, sometimes referred to as the Sioux Falls River Greenway, forms a loop of nearly 30 miles of paved, multi-use pathways that link many of the city’s parks and green spaces....

This short sidepath provides a useful connection between several trails in the ten mile system of bike paths within the city of Sturgis. Beginning near the intersection of Butte View Drive and Dolan...

Recent Trail Reviews

George S. Mickelson Trail

LOVED IT

From Texas-Went to trail twice last summer- due to weather issues. Started at Edgemont the first time. Did not like the constant incline for 43 miles. So when we went back the seecond time, we left our car in Edgemont, bought a ride to Deadwood and started from there. It was 17 miles uphill to start but than a 10 mile decent. Up and down like this until last 43 miles where it mostly descends until one last big uphill at the 5-6 mile marker. I will go back again. Husband said he would love to get electric bikes and do it. Took our tent and camped were we could.

Sioux Falls Bike Trails

Delightful network of trails

We came to Sioux Falls specifically to ride the trails and they were absolutely delightful. There's a nice mix of urban and suburban cycling here. It's possible to get just about everywhere by bike. Many intersections include wide, well lit underpasses. Solid system. Five stars.

Sioux Falls Bike Trails

Great Sioux Falls Biking Experience

The city of Sioux Falls has created a wonderful biking experience for its residents and visitors!We road in October 2018 and could not have more pleased with the ever changing scenery and smooth trail surface.Road bikes work the entire 26 miles with very few cross roads to contend with.The trail passes through several city parks and South Dakotans enjoy the outdoors!Sioux Falls has many interesting restaurants and Airbnbs to add enjoyment to your visit.

Custer State Park Spur

Rough Pavement, Nice Views

Skated from the Shopko in Custer to Custer State Park and back. $4 fee for the trail, there's a self-pay station at the trailhead in Custer State Park. The pavement is pretty rough most of the way, but since this is mostly used by cyclists it's probably fine for most users. The bridges are pretty bad too, several have big bumps on the transition from asphalt to wood and the parallel planks are sketchy. Views are pretty nice though, and Fort Custer is an interesting stop.

George S. Mickelson Trail

Did all 109 miles

I went with a group from Road Scholar which provided a SAG van & divided the trail into 4 sections in 4 days. Overall it is very scenic . Be very careful heading south from Pringle to Edgemont as there is a lot of loose sand on the trail. There are some steep prolonged hills, I did 4 miles from Mystic south with the front sprocket in1 and the rear switching between 1 & 2,quite a hill for a 70 yr old guy from NJ. Dress in layers and drink plenty of water, refills are available from cisterns at trail heads. Be aware that parts of the trail are over 6000 ft, give yourself a day to adjust before doing the steep grades.

George S. Mickelson Trail

Beautiful but slow going

The tail is very well marked and easy to follow but that is about all that is easy, for a recumbent rider at least. I had some chain issues on the first day and thankfully we started in Deadwood. That meant the closest bike shop was 15 miles away in Spearfish, Rushmore Sports. The trip was delayed by a day and we started in Custer to Hot Springs. Mostly downhill but the trail material packed gravel and it is slow! Hot Springs required 11 miles on the highway with a good sized hill into town. Next we hired a shuttle to the Dumont trailhead. This section is by far the most scenic and 18 miles downhill to Hill City but there are 2 long (7 & 10 mile) slow climbs from there to Custer. Finally we drove to Edgemont and rode north to the HghWy 18 trailhead. Again it is a shallow grade hill but it is slow going. NOTE the trail has MANY washouts where it is deeply rutted across the path with deep, loose sand which make going up even slower and going down, at speed, really hairy.

George S. Mickelson Trail

Deadwood to Edgemont

2 day ride starting in Deadwood, overnight in Hill City and on to Edgemont. Outstanding fall ride with a total of 8 other riders over 2 days. Mornings were cold but afternoons were into the 60s. Snow still present in N and NW facing slopes with the trail muddy in spots. Day 1 surface was firmer with smaller packed gravel. Rode 28mm tires and was fine all day. Day 2 changed to 35mm tires and found it helpful dealing with the freeze thaw mud. Overall one of the best R2T rides I have done. Trail maintenance and facilities were excellent! This is the sort of R2T other states should use as an example.

George S. Mickelson Trail

Out and Back North From Hill City

I did a 40 mile round trip on a hybrid, starting at Hill City. A local rider told me this was the nicest stretch of the trail. It took me through three of the four tunnels. Once you leave the Hill City outskirts, you're away from the highway and riding through some beautiful scenery.

This is a more challenging ride that most rail trails. The hills aren't steep, but they're long. Going north, you climb a long hill out of Hill City, reach a crest and then descend 7 miles before starting up and even longer hill.

It's hard to imagine a better managed trail than this. The the signage, the condition of the trail surface and the rest facilities are all excellent.